UFC on FX 4 results: Ricardo Lamas plays spoiler, tops Hatsu Hioki

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Hatsu Hioki did himself no favors with UFC brass when he declined a title shot with featherweight champion Jose Aldo to get more octagon experience.

The move backfired, though, and Ricardo Lamas pulled off the upset in the featured preliminary-card bout at UFC on FX 4.

The fight took place at Revel Atlantic City in New Jersey. It aired on FUEL TV and followed additional prelims on Facebook and preceded the FX-televised main card.

For weeks, insiders argued that Lamas was a dangerous opponent for Hioki, the highly touted former World Victory Road/Sengoku champ. Over the course of a 15-minute fight, Lamas showed why.

Hioki closed the distance early in the fight and scored a trip-takedown, but Lamas took top position as they hit the mat. After escaping a shoulder lock, one in which he stood and had Hioki torquing it while clinging to him, Lamas opted to fight from close distance. Hioki, though, scored another trip-takedown and closed out the round with kimura attempts.

Hioki had confidence early in the second round and fought for a takedown. Lamas, though, popped him with a knee on a clean break, unloaded some punches, and worked for a guillotine as Hioki took him to the mat. Hioki escaped, but Lamas again worked for the same choke twice more before the round ended.

It wouldn’t be his last attempt at the choke.

With the fight possibly tied heading into the third round, Hioki simply sputtered. Lamas was quicker to the punch, and his low kicks kept Hioki off balance. Mixing in head and body punches also confused Hioki, who ultimately shot for a takedown and was quickly trapped in a guillotine choke again. Lamas torqued the choke for a full minute before Hioki slipped free, but the effort clearly won Lamas the round.

In the end, he took the unanimous decision via 29-28 scores across the board.

“It’s surreal, man,” said Lamas, who said his final weeks of camp were slowed by a rib injury. “I’ve been fighting for Zuffa for three years now, and not too many people know me. Hopefully they do now.”

Lamas (12-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC), a former WEC lightweight, is 3-0 since his move to the UFC and a drop to featherweight. He’s also 6-1 over the past three years. Hioki (26-5-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), meanwhile, snaps a six-fight win streak and suffers just his second loss since 2007.

A total of 26 fighters got their chance to shine on Saturday as part of UFC 190 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Now that UFC 190 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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